Caster



C. .I. CRAWLEY.

EASTER.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 23, 1921.

1,404,743, Patented Jan. 31,1922.

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COURTLAND J. GRAVVLEY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNGR OF (ENE-HAL TO WALDO N.

' FERREIRA, OF GHICAG-U, ILLINOIS.

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Specification of Letters l atent.

rat-elites Jan. si, lees.

Application filed February 23, i921. Serial Nb. 4473 23;

T 0 allay/10min may concern:

Be it known'that'l, Counrmno J. CRAW- LEY, a. citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Casters, of which the following is a description.

My invention belongs to that general class of devices known as casters which are generally used for supporting articles of furniture or the like.

My invention has among its objects the production of a device of the kind described which is simple, convenient, compact, durable, reliable, eilicient, and satisfactory for use wherever found applicable.

The invention has particularly for an object the production of a'device of the kind described which may be adjusted to vary the height oi? the article supported, above the floor, and is especially useful'when applied to legs of tables or other articles of furniture. When a plurality of casters applied to such an article of furniture, each of my improved casters may be individually adjusted so that each caster has an equal bearing upon the floor. j

Many other objectsof the construction herein shown and described will. be obvious to those skilled in the art to which this invention belongs from the disclosure herein given.

To this end my invention consists in the novel construction, arrangement and combination of parts herein shown and described and more particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, wherein like reference characters indicate like or corresponding parts;

Figure l is a vertical elevation of my improved caste'r as appliedto an article to be supported;

Figure 2 is a vertical's'ection of the same with parts in elevation;

Figure 3 is a horizontal section on the line 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a horizontal section on the line 4-4: of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a vertical section illustrating a modified form of adjusting means;

Figure 6 is a horizontal section taken on line 6-6 of Figure 5; and

Figure 7 is a horizontal section taken on line 7-7 of Figure 5.

in the emboeinient of my invention, as illustrated in the drawings, 1 indicates a roller-caster adapted to be inserted in any suitable article of furniture 2, or other suitable body to be supported, said caster comprising a roller 3 freely mounted so as to be revoluble on an axle 4c, saidaxle being supported between the downturned parallel lugs or cars 5 struck up on a bracket plate 6, the manner of constructing and assembling said roller, axle and bracket support being well known in the art.

Pivotally secured to the plate 6, centrally thereof, as by upsetting the end or by threading and applying a nut thereto, or in any other suitable and equivalent manner, is a shank 7, said shank portion having secured thereto, at its base, above the plate (3, a flanged cup or raceway 8 which is adapted to cooperate with the plate 6 so as to permit anti-friction ball-bearings 901' the like to be inserted therebetwcen and transmit the load with a minimum of friction from the shank to the bracket plate. The shank portion Z. is

threaded enteriorly at 10, and has a longitudinal peripheral slot or groove 1]. therein for a, purpose to be her ainaiterdescribed.

- A hollow sleeve, socket shell or casing 12 is adapted to surround the shank 10 and to be inserted Within a bore 12' provided in the article to be supported, said sleeve being preferably slightly larger than the bore and split at one end, as at 13, so that it maybe reduced in diameter at said end and driven into the bore and frictionally held therein. In order to more securely hold the sleeve in place, there is provided a flanged disk I l at the base of said sleeve and having a series of circumferential apertures or the like 17 therein, said flanged disk having peripheral teeth 15 adapted to be driven into the material of the article being supported. threaded plug 16 is preferably secured to the base of the sleeve substantially concentric within the disk i l, said plug forming a web across the bottom of said shell or sleeve and being adapted to be threadedly movable on the shank 7 and thus provide longitudinal adjustment between the shank and sleeve in the shank when it is positioned thereon, so that the washer 18 may be slid longitudinally of the shank but will prevent any relative rotational movement therebetwe'en. An upstanding lug or projection 20 is pro vided on the upper surface of the washer, said projection being positioned at such a radial distance from the bore of said washer that it is adapted to enter any of the circumferentially spaced recesses 17 in the disk 14, and when the lug 20 is engaged within any of the recesses 17 and will lock and prevent rotational movement of the sleeve 12 upon the shank 7. The washer 18 is prevented from rotational movement on the shank 7 by the tongue and slot arrangement, and as it is locked to the sleeve 12 by the projection and recess it will necessarily prevent the sleeve from rotation, unless the pin 20 is released from the recess 17 A spring or other resilient means 21 is preferably positioned between the cup 8 and the washer 18 so as to yieldably hold the washer against the disk 14, and when it is desired to adjust the article being supported by the caster, the washer 18 is moved downwardly against the spring pressure so that the lug 20 is disengaged from the recesses 17 and the shank 7 may then be turned to lengthen or shorten the overall length from the floor to the top of the sleeve. When the desired adjustment has been obtained the washer 18 is released, and as the spring constantly bears against it a partial turn will enable the lug 20 to spring into place in its cooperating recess 17, thus securely locking the parts against accidental disengagement.

In the modification shown in Figures 5 to 7 inclusive, the construction is similar, except that another means is used to prevent relative rotation between the washer 18 and the shank '7. In this modification the shank is flattened as at 22, or may be otherwise made suitably non-circular and the washer is also correspondingly bored non-circular, as shown, having a flattened .side 23 which is adapted to be slidingly, mounted on the shank 7, but having no ro tational movement thereon.

From the above description it will be seen that I provide a caste-r which is adjustable longitudinally of its shank and one wherein said adjustment may be easily and quickly performed, and locked in its adjusted position.

Having thus described my invention it is obvious that various immaterial modifications may be made in the same without departing from the spirit of my invention; hence I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself tothe exact form, arrangement, construction and combination of parts herein shown and described, or uses mentioned.

What I claimvas new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a device ofthe kind described and in combination, a caster comprising a roller, a spindle rotatably secured thereto, a socket shell surrounding said spindle and adapted to be fixedly secured to a body to be supported, a web member arranged transversely of said shell at one end thereof, said spindle being out of contact with said shell and engageable with said web member so that the spindle may be adjusted axially of said shell, and means for yieldably locking said parts in their adjusted positions.

In a. device of the kind described and in combination, a caster comprising a roller, an axle therefor, a bracket supporting said axle, an externally threaded spindle pivotally connected to said bracket at one end, a socket shell surrounding said spindle and adapted to be fixedly secured to a body to be supported a web arranged transversely of said shell at one end thereof, said web having a threaded aperture centrally therethrough .engageable by the threaded spindle whereby said spindle may be adjustable axially of said shell, said spindle being out of engagement with the ')6Ilpl151&l wall of said shell throughout its length, and means for detachably and yielldably locking said spindle to said fixed she l. V

3. In a device of the kind described and in combination, a caster comprising a roller, an axle therefor, a bracket supporting said axle, an externally threaded spindle pivotally connected to said bracket at one end, a socketshell having a transverse web at one end engageable with said threaded spindle, a washer non-rotatable on said spindle but longitudinally slidable thereon, and means for yieldably locking said washer to said shell to maintain the spindle in its adjusted position. 7

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses. V

COURTLAND J. CRAWLEY. l Vitnesses JOHN WV. HILL,

BERTHA HARTMANN. 

